


Counseling

by Musichick2004



Series: Old and New [14]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Family Issues, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-28
Updated: 2016-08-28
Packaged: 2018-08-11 15:19:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7897744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musichick2004/pseuds/Musichick2004
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jethro made the appointment, but Tony was gone. What will he do?</p><p>Just a quickie.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Counseling

“Mr. Gibbs, I see on your appointment request form you were in search of couples counseling?” The slightly grey brunette tipped her glasses down and looked at him.

Jethro nodded. “Yes ma’am.”

“Will your significant other be joining us this session?”

He swallowed and spun his ring and shook his head. “No ma’am.”

She waited. When it was clear she’d get nothing without drawing it out of him, she sat back in her chair and tilted her head slightly to the side. “Why is that?”

“He left. Four days ago.”

_ This one’s going to be tough _ , she thought, when he didn't elaborate. “Left? You still wear a ring...so it’s not permanent?”

Jethro sighed.  _ There, SOME give, _ she thought. “He... we...lost someone. He investigated her murder, killed the man who killed her, and found out she'd had his child. He needed the time and space to deal with it all.”

Charlotte nodded. “So, instead of coming to you, he left?” She was hoping to draw Jethro out more.

“He loved her. We were teammates for years, and we were the only ones who really saw him for who he is. She’s...she  _ was _ probably the only woman to see through his masks that way. And we’d been having problems on top of it, and he couldn't handle trying to deal with his grief, getting to know his daughter, AND fixing us.”

After about 30 minutes of circular logic, Charlotte finally asked, “Jethro, is your fiancée paying for these sessions?”

“What? No! What the hell?”

“I'm just confused, because I'm pretty sure your session is over halfway finished, and we’ve spent the whole time talking about Tony’s past, Tony’s emotions, Tony’s insecurities. Why can't we talk about  _ you _ ?” She knew what she’d see, but it still amazed her every time.

The wall came up and Jethro crossed his arms and leaned back into the chair. “What do you want to know?”

“You said this woman was a teammate? Tell me more.”

“I was team lead, Tony was my senior field agent, and Ziva was our liaison with Mossad.”

“You worked together, but there was more.” She tilted her head to the side again and looked him in the eye. “You're grieving too. Why don't we talk about that?”

Jethro grumbled, “what is there to talk about? She’s dead.”

“Yes, she is. But you're still here.” That usually got a reaction.

“Thanks to her.” Jethro said, barely audible.

_ Now we’re getting somewhere. _ Charlotte thought. “She saved your life, then?”

Jethro nodded. “Before she was on the team, her brother killed another teammate and was in my basement with a gun to my head. She killed him. After that, she ended up on my team.”

“She saved your life. And now she’s dead, and nobody saved her life…” Charlotte knew this was one bear that needed poking if they were gonna get anywhere.

Jethro surged forward, “and if she’d stayed on my team, maybe she’d be alive.” He snarled, the slammed his fist into the surprisingly thick pillow at his side.

Charlotte quirked an eyebrow as he took a deep breath and smoothed the pillow. “That's why they're there. Memory foam. Now...you've told me all about your fiancée's fear of abandonment. But what about yours?”

Jethro glared at her. The poking seemed to be chipping away at the wall.

“It manifests differently, of course, but...you don't grieve, do you?” When she saw Jethro pull down the wall again, she continued. “You worry about everyone else, but you've lost a lot...how do you grieve?”

“You don't know what I've lost. What I've seen.” If looks could kill, Charlotte would be writhing in pain at least. But the man in front of her wasn't leaving.

“Three tours in Iraq here, so you don't know what I've seen either. You chose me for a reason, Mr. Gibbs. You're not leaving, as angry as you seem, so how about we talk about who you've lost, huh?”

Jethro’s shoulders slumped just a bit. “Which ones?”

“All of them.”   


And with only 15 minutes left, she saw the wall crumble. Charlotte was glad she didn't have another appointment after this, he was bound to run late. The tough ones always did.


End file.
